Mark and I usually stay fairly busy but it's always with plans we make a day or two ahead. We rarely have things planned out weeks in advanced. This Fall it seems to be different.
Now don't get me wrong. Although you may hear differently while I am in the midst of it, I am looking forward to each of the things planned. It's just that when it is all together and written out in front of my face I start to feel a tad overwhelmed.
Everything will be OK. I just was startled to realize exactly what kind of schedule I had looming and, when I asked around, it seems to not only be our household. So in the spirit of the over-scheduled holiday season, here are some tips for keeping everything running smoothly:
1. Find Some Quick Stress Relievers: If you feel overwhelmed by stress during the day, a busy schedule may prevent you from being able to do what relaxes you the most, whatever that may be. However, there are some quick ways to feel better without taking hours you don't have to do so. Stress relief strategies, such as breathing exercises, can help you to turn off your body's stress reaction so you put a halt to chronic stress and can get back to your busy life.
2. Limit Your Caffeine Intake: If you're one to grab a cup of coffee or can of soda when you need a little extra energy, you may be making yourself MORE tired in the long run! This is partially because caffeine can exacerbate your stress response and keep you from experiencing restful sleep at night which can create a cycle of chronic sleep deprivation. Learn more about the effects of caffeine and the advantages of limiting your intake, and find ways to get more energy with less caffeine.
3. Get More Sleep In Your Life: When your schedule's busy, sleep is often the first thing to be cut back, either intentionally or by default. This is unfortunate because it can leave you feeling lethargic and lead to errors that take more time out of your day to correct. Learn why it's important to safeguard your sleep, and how to actually get the sleep you need.
4. Build Quick Exercise Into Your Schedule: If you're feeling lethargic, a little exercise will actually leave you more energized, not less. While busy people have a hard time fitting exercise into the schedule, there are some tricks that can help you get the exercise you need without spending hours at the gym, such as breaking up exercise into smaller chunks and spacing them out during your day, when you may naturally have time available. Read more to get additional ideas on how to fit exercise into a busy schedule.
5. Develop a "Can Do" Attitude: Much of your experience of stress hinges on your attitude and what you tell yourself about your situation. For example, learning how view stress as a 'challenge' rather than a threat can leave you feeling more energized. Read more on developing an attitude that repels stress during busy times.
6. Build Fast Stress Relief Into Your Lifestyle: If you don't have time for a new stress management regimen, these stress relievers provide maximum impact for minimal time expenditure. Things like taking your vitamins and playing music in the background, for example, fit nicely into even the busiest lifestyle, but provide surprisingly significant stress relief benefits.
7. Learn To Say No: People have different reasons for being busy, but many people find themselves busy no matter what their circumstances because they have trouble saying no to other people's demands on their time. If this describes you, there is a simple, three-step plan for getting better at saying yes to a freer schedule and saying no to other people's demands on your time. Click on the link to find out more.
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